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This program, supported by the Australian Government under the Future Drought Fund, helps remote, rural and regional communities, and farmers, become more prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of drought. It is designed to build community capacity by strengthening social and community networking, support, engagement and wellbeing.

The Future Drought Fund’s Networks to Build Drought Resilience Program will fund community-led events, projects, activities, training, and small-scale infrastructure that assist communities to build their capacity by strengthening social and community networking, support, engagement, and wellbeing to be more prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of drought.

Projects must relate to one or more opportunity types:

1. Projects that strengthen the capacity, capability, and coordination of professional, social or community networks in agriculture-dependent communities to build drought resilience.
2. Events that facilitate professional, social and community connection to build an understanding of risks posed by drought and climate change in agriculture-dependent communities throughout Australia.
3. Training to improve the skills, understanding and capacity of community network members to participate in community risk management, planning and community-driven projects that build drought resilience.
4. Small-scale community infrastructure projects to foster connectedness, improve wellbeing and make community facilities resilient to the impacts of drought.

The program will offer three tiers of grants to not-for-profit organisations, and Round 2 aims to fund approximately 65 projects as follows:

• $10,000 to $20,000; (approximately 30 projects, events, or activities will be funded per round)
• $20,000 to $50,000; (approximately 32 projects, events, or activities will be funded per round)
• $50,000 to $150,000 (approximately 5 projects, events, or activities will be funded per round)

Projects that are community-led and focus on locally defined solutions to building drought resilience will be prioritised.

The Strengthening Rural Communities program gives small rural, regional and remote communities across Australia the opportunity to access funds that can benefit and help secure their future prosperity. Grants are available for a broad range of initiatives that directly and clearly benefit local communities.

Applications from not-for-profit organisations in communities of fewer than 15,000 people are prioritised, particularly those communities whose size, remoteness and relative access to services, funding, and resources present particular ongoing challenges. The Strengthening Rural Communities program accepts applications any time. FRRR considers applications and makes grant distributions on a quarterly basis.

The Volunteer Emergency Services Fund Grant Program aims to support the needs of local volunteer emergency services and first responders supporting communities affected by the 2019/20 bushfires.

Grants are available for disaster preparedness and response activities that may include:

• rebuilding or upgrading emergency services infrastructure and replacing or upgrading emergency services equipment
• enabling the support and management of an emergency services volunteer workforce through recruitment and training
• programs to support volunteer mental health and wellbeing